University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Welcomes NC State Sunday Afternoon
February 20, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 20, 2010
CHAPEL HILL --- North Carolina (17-8, 5-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) renews its oldest rivalry for the 90th time Sunday when the Tar Heels host NC State at 2 p.m. at Carmichael Arena for the annual WBCA Pink Zone game. UNC snapped a five-game losing streak Thursday with a 65-59 overtime win at Wake Forest. NC State (15-11, 5-6 ACC) is coming off a 73-62 win over Boston College on Friday night. UNC is unranked but receiving votes in both major polls while NC State is also unranked.
AT A GLANCE
Records: North Carolina 17-8 (5-6 ACC), NC State 15-11 (5-6 ACC)
Rankings: North Carolina is receiving votes in both the AP poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. NC State is unranked.
TV: Today's game is available live via Carolina All-Access at tarheelblue.cstv.com/allaccess/.
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network, a division of Learfield Communications. Brad Heller (play-by-play) and Jan Boxill (analyst) have the call.
On The Web: TarHeelBlue.com (UNC), GoPack.com (NC State)
NC STATE SERIES NOTES
• North Carolina is 40-49 all-time against NC State, including a 21-16 mark in Chapel Hill.
• Carolina won both meetings in 2009, topping the Wolfpack in Chapel Hill, 75-66, in overtime, and triumphing in Raleigh, 74-57. The win in Chapel Hill was Sylvia Hatchell's 800th career victory.
• While NC State still holds a sizable advantage in the all-time series, Carolina has held the upper hand in
recent years. The Tar Heels have won 18 of the last 20 meetings, their most successful stretch ever against the Wolfpack.
• NC State is Carolina's most common opponent in terms of games played as well as the Tar Heels' oldest
rival. Sunday will be the 90th all-time meeting dating back to UNC's very first varsity game, a 74-47 win over the Wolfpack on Jan. 13, 1975.
• Of teams with at least 10 all-time meetings with UNC, only NC State (49-40), Old Dominion (12-7) and
Tennessee (14-3) have winning records.
NOTING THE WOLFPACK
• NC State is 15-11 on the season and 5-6 in the ACC following a 73-62 win over Boston College Friday night.
• Sophomore forward Bonae Holston leads three NC State players in double figures with 11.6 points per game. Holston also leads the Wolfpack in rebounding with 6.1 boards per outing.
LAST TIME OUT
Feb. 18: UNC 65, Wake Forest 59 (OT)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --- Cetera DeGraffenreid tied the game with seven seconds left in regulation and Cierra Roberston-Warren scored five key points in overtime as North Carolina broke a five-game losing streak with a 65-59 win over Wake Forest Thursday night at Joel Coliseum. Secily Ray had 23 points to lead the Demon Deacons, who led by as many as 16 in the first half.
CAROLINA IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICS
The most recent NCAA statistics report was released on Feb. 18, and the Tar Heels are highly ranked in a number of categories. UNC is among the nation's top 10 in two categories - blocks and three-point field goal defense. Here are the categories that feature Carolina in the top 30 (all stats per game):
• Three-point Field Goal Defense - 3rd (25.0)
• Blocks - 10th (5.8)
• Scoring - 12th (77.8)
• Rebound Margin - 26th (+5.9)
• Assists - 27th (15.8)
FREE THROWS EQUAL WINS FOR DeGRAFFENREID, TAR HEELS
The Jan. 25 win over NC State marked the 16th time in her career that junior Cetera DeGraffenreid has attempted at least 10 free throws, and the Tar Heels are 15-2 in those games. DeGraffenreid and classmate Italee Lucas both rank among the top 10 in school history in career free throw percentage.
CAROLINA IN CARMICHAEL
• Carolina returned to Carmichael Dec. 29 after a year and a half absence, during which the Tar Heels won 25 of 26 games at the Dean E. Smith Center.
• UNC is 379-85 (.817) all-time in Carmichael, its primary home since the first varsity season of 1974-75.
• Prior to the most recent renovation, the Tar Heels were on quite a roll in the historic gym. Beginning with the 2001-02 season, Carolina posted a 103-6 home record in Carmichael.
DeGRAFFENREID, LUCAS JOIN 1,000-POINT CLUB
With seven points in the win over Kennesaw State on Dec. 29, junior Cetera DeGraffenreid became the 31st player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. She currently stands 27th overall with 1,157 points. Junior Italee Lucas reached the milestone with six points against Duke on Feb. 8. Lucas currently stands 31st overall with 1,055 points.
LUCAS MOVES INTO THREE-POINT TOP 10 LIST
With three made three-pointers Dec. 13 against Gardner-Webb, junior guard Italee Lucas took over sole possession of 10th place in the all-time UNC career threes list. The Las Vegas, Nev., product has made 142 career threes in 95 games, and is also in the top 10 in career three-point percentage with a 36.4 (142-390) percent mark.
